'Storm Éowyn should warn us about threat to Ireland's gas pipelines and electric cables'

ESB staff and contractors had to work for weeks to restore power after Storm Éowyn. Experts point to that disruption to highlight how vulnerable Ireland is to attacks on its undersea cables and pipelines. Picture: Larry Cummins

The Government needs to focus its maritime capabilities on the most important parts of our critical national infrastructure — gas pipelines and electricity cables — in order to avoid “severe” repercussions if either is damaged, experts have warned.

Ireland relies on just two gas pipelines and two electricity interconnectors —both of which connect to Britain — for the bulk of its imported energy needs.